1.19.2013

Some of my fondest memories as a child involve music. Dad introduced me to the Beatles, Neil Diamond, Heart, ABBA, James Taylor and Simon & Garfunkel.

We jammed out to Black Dog with his hot pink 8 track Led Zeppelin album and sang Stairway to Heaven in his basement workshop----because men didn't have man caves in the '70s, they had 'workshops' where they tinkered and introduced their daughters to tools and other mechanical stuff...a land of motor oil, WD-40 and wood glue.

Just being invited into the mess was an honor.

Of course, I had to earn my keep by holding a flashlight or finding the right size socket wrench attachment and had to know the difference between a flat blade screwdriver and a Phillips...but those were the moments when I saw him in his element, the king of his castle passing on vital knowledge to the next generation and I wouldn't trade those memories for anything.

We talked at great length about the finer things in life: classical, jazz and the blues, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Muddy Waters, Cab Calloway, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and more. Sometimes we discussed current events, more often the inner workings of our family unit. He encouraged me to have a voice (a decision he possibly regretted by my late teens), to have a strong work ethic and to take on every challenge with gusto.

In My Life was a song with special meaning to my dad, the song we danced to at my wedding. I'd like to take this moment to say I love you more, Dad.